Magic Dungeons
by Grothnack
Summary: When Harry was in the Chamber of Secrets after the fight with the basilisk, it wasn't the phoenix what saved him. Now that this man is in play, change everything for the everybody, and have to learn again, but at least he has his friends to help him. But more will come that what he expected, and the help is always welcome. The story is after the end of Chamber of Secrets.
1. When all changes

**Well, hello everyone. I am right now holding what it could be a writer block made by studies, but that soon will be over. This is a story that won't be a regular series, as I write this to keep my mind busy and relax a bit. It's a mix of Neverwinter Nights and Harry Potter, and I am making the character sheets of them xD to know what I would do with them just for fun. As always, reviews are welcome.**

 _Harry POV_

The Chambers of Secrets, a place where nobody would want to visit except for a few people that wanted to conspire towards the extermination of every muggleborn, as it happened when Ginny Weasley was possessed by Tom Riddle, and now I was fighting for my dear life with the sword of Gryffindor at hand, and by opponent I had a basilisk that had his eyes damaged thanks to Fawkes, the phoenix of Dumbledore. But even then, I was scared, but I had to kill it to save Ginny. I climbed the stone face, trying to avoid the fangs of the basilisk trying to prey into my skin, until I reached a place where I could hold my foot. The basilisk was in front of me, and I tried to slash it with the sword, but it skinned it with no damage, and then the basilisk tried to swallow me, but I responded with a thrust of the sword, inside the mouth as the sword performed the muscles until it reached the other part of the head, but in the process one of the fangs reached my arm, feeling how it performed badly the arm as I finally killed the basilisk, and I reached down, approaching with wobbly legs as the poison inside me was killing me.

I could hear Tom Riddle saying how I would die, but I had one of the fangs of the basilisk in my hand, and with a swift motion; as far I could do with the venom going quickly in my blood to kill me, I penetrated the diary, and repeated the process until Tom Riddle disappeared in one light, and Ginny Weasley started recovering from the draining process, but my mind was faltering, as the venom was reaching the critical in my body… I was going to die, but maybe it wasn't that bad, I could see again my family, and the Dursley wouldn't give a damn about my death… Then, I felt something in my lips as some liquid entered in my mouth, and forceful hands made me swallow it. It wasn't like the nasty potion of Skele-Grow, as it taste a bit better, not much but that was an improvement… and I was feeling better by the second as my vision felt clearer and I could see someone else in the room…

It was a man, but it was nothing like I saw before, his face was beautiful if nothing else, and had some type of aristocratic feeling, his hair was long and dark, keeping it neat with a ponytail. His clothes were strange too, with robes that had some type of runes or patterns that I couldn't identify. I could hear how he cursed, but mostly by the tone of his voice that was nearly musical, but then, in a language that I couldn't understand. Then, looked at me again, and smiled a bit while helping me getting up. Ginny was up as well, as she was awed at the appearance of that strange man… that now that I could see, had pointed ears…

\- Are you alright? – He said, looking at my eyes. His eyes were green, almost like mine, but his were showing more understanding and experience, like the ones I saw on the Professor Dumbledore. It was strange at most, and I only nodded, without knowing what to make of this. – Sir… Thanks for saving Harry, I thought that I… - Ginny started to say, before starting to cry, surely thinking that it was her fault that I was nearly killed. But as a matter of fact, she was being used by the diary, and she had no control of herself. – It's not your fault Ginny, it was the diary. – I said, trying to calm her down, but she continue crying, shaking her head in disagreement. – But I wasn't strong enough! I was scared that you would find that I was behind those attacks and I tried to destroy the diary, but when you had the diary in your hands, I thought that you would hate me, so I stole it back, and then… - She said while tears streamed through her face. The man was looking at us, and then the diary, catching it with his hand as he muttered some words.

\- You don't have to worry, Miss Weasley. Much people would fall through this gimmick, and that you were able to fight back at least to try to get rid of the diary is something most of the people without training wouldn't be able to do. Now, let's go to see your so called Headmaster… - The man said, with a gentle tone until he reached the part of the headmaster, with some disdain in his voice that was strange at most. The silence was then pretty clear, as they walked toward the exit of the chambers, until it reached the point where he was separated from Ron and professor Lockhart, the big idiot who Obliviated himself with Ron's wand.

\- Harry! Is that you!? Is Ginny ok!? – Ron shouted, as he finished retiring the rubble that was present in the place because the explosion made by Lockhart. Then, he ran toward Ginny, hugging her as he made sure she was alright, with some tears of relief that she was safe. He didn't even notice the presence of that man until he stopped giving attention to Ginny, gasping at the man presence making with his face the imitation of a fish. – Ron? – I said, but before he could say anything, Lockhart started speaking nonsense about if we lived in this cave, and Fawkes started to give signals. – It seems that he want us to lift us. – The man said, catching one of the claws of the phoenix, waiting for the rest to catch something. – How can a bird lift us? – Ron asked, catching one of the arms of the man, but when everyone; including Lockhart even with the protest of Ron, Fawkes started to fly, lifting everyone easily until we were out in the female toilets, where Mirtle was standing, with a sad look. Then, we started following Fawkes till we reached the office of Professor Mcgonagall, where inside were Mr and Mss Weasley, crying and with Professor Dumbledore and Mcgonagall trying to comfort them. When we entered inside, there were some gasps and Mss Weasley went like an arrow towards Ginny, hugging her in relief that she was alright.

But Dumbledore, wasn't looking good, his usual cheerful personality wasn't there while looking at the man that was with us. – Well, now that the basilisk is taken care off, you would think that Hogwarts wasn't going to close, but I am afraid that that is not the case. I investigated, and by the authority given by the King Nasher Alagóndar of Noyvern, I hereby close Hogwarts till the changes are made. I want you to gather all the students in the Great hall, and I will make more announcements. This is the parchment that explain everything, and if you think your Ministry is going to help you, our King has taken care of that by the laws made between our worlds. – The man that was with us said, making my mind, and possibly all inside the place trying to run a mile. How is it that Hogwarts is going to close after all? Now, I was going to return to de Dursley without being able to continue to live in the magical world.

\- Professor Dumbledore! Can't you avoid this to happen!? – I shouted, terrified at the idea of being unable to leave the Dursley and being separated from my friends the rest of my life. Albus Dumbledore was reading the parchment, until he sighed, looking terribly old. – I am afraid no, Harry… I am sorry… Now we can only watch, and wait… - He said, making everybody in the place start crying, because an important part of their lifes is going to die right now. The man was nowhere seen now, probably going to the Great Hall or another place. – Minerva, please gather the students… - He said with a grim tone, possibly because now there were going like the funeral of Hogwarts. Minerva only nodded, and went to do as ordered, and everybody in the place started to go towards the Great Hall in silence. I seated in the table of Gryffindor, with Ron, Ginny and their parents. Soon, the rest of people started to flow inside the Great Hall, and then, other people started to enter, the people that were petrified by the basilisk. Soon, Hermione was running towards them, hugging both of them while grinning, and was about to congratulate them before she saw the dark faces they had. – What happen? The basilisk is dead, you killed it Harry, and Ginny is safe. – Hermione said, but we only made a gesture that she needed to take a place and wait.

Soon everybody was inside the Great Hall, and then, a lot of people entered, wearing armour and weapons, and then the man that were with us entered too, reaching the place were Dumbledore was seated, and coughed. – I am Aran Ralthây, wizard of the court of the King Nasher Alagóndar of Noyvern. I have the duty to inform everyone here that our king decided to, by the laws between our people, take care of the darkness here, made principally by the one called Voldemort. – He said, making everybody except Dumbledore and Harry flinch. – But also, we have to take care that everything is going by the standards, and now changes are to be made. By this moment until these changes are made, Hogwarts is hereby closed. All the… - He said, but was interrupted by a large shouting of fury from all the students, most of them with wands ready to fight. But then, all the guards chanted something, and the silence was made forcefully… All the Great hall was in silence even though people were shouting, and everybody sat again, looking now with fear as some people made everybody silence with a spell without any wand…

\- As I was saying, all the students with responsible family will go to them until September. The students that don't have that, will come with us to live in the academy, were all of you will be continuing your studies. But let me be clear, the studies will be mostly different and more interesting, and if I were you, I wouldn't pass this opportunity to open your minds. If everything goes as planned, Hogwarts will open again after some years passes. Now, everybody must go to their chambers, and gather all their belongings. – The man called Aran Ralthây said, going out of the room, with the guards and then, the spell broke, and everybody were stunned by everything that just happened. All type of celebration went through the toilet.

\- As Aran Ralthây said, this is only temporary. Don't think that we will never see again, this is a new beginning for everyone in this place. There will be hard moments, but you are proud students of Hogwarts, and this will always be your home, even if as a school is closed. Now, you must gather all your things… and say goodbye. – Albus Dumbledore said, with a sad tone in his voice, but trying to appear cheerful to the students. Then, everybody started to gather all their belongings in complete silence, surely each one trying to think of what they will do. Sometimes, someone could be heard saying things as going to another country to study, or being home-schooled, but for me, the only place I would end up was the Dursley, and wait till the time was right to go to this new academy. Then, we reached the station when we had to take the train, but there was something else, like a portal glowing in one place, guarded by those men in armour, and Aran Ralthây was there too.

\- Now, I will call the people who will come with us directly. There will be no excuses nor exceptions. – He said, starting to read names aloud, and the people started going there, mostly terrified and worried to try to think what will be of them. – Potter, Harry. – Was heard, and I was astonished. I made my way toward the rest of people, having contradicted feelings. I was glad that I would not go to the Dursley, but being in another place without knowing what I will had to do was nerve-wracking. When everybody was called, Aran made a sigh. – If anyone else want to come, step forward. – He said, waiting for a moment if anyone step forward. Then, someone started to rattle, trying to reach forward, until he was at the front, and the surprise was made very clearly: Neville did step forward and was approaching Harry.

\- I don't know if I will do any good, but… I am not going to let a friend go alone. – He said, with eyes showing determination and insecurity. Then, four more stepped forward, being Hermione, Ron and the twins. – If you think that after everything I am going to be pushed back, forget it. – Ron said, and Hermione looked at Aran. – I am expecting to learn a lot about this, and as he said, this is an opportunity that I won't miss. – Hermione said, and the twins stood with devilish looks, probably thinking on how to cause chaos in the new place with their pranks.

After a few moments, nobody made the attempt to move forward; except the shouting Miss Weasley trying to make the twins and Ron come back, but they just keep firm in the place. – Now, everybody else enter the train. – Aran commanded, and then, he turned to the people that was staying, nearly thirty students in total. He looked at everyone like assessing our worth, but then he smiled softly. – Now, walk through the portal. I will explain most of the things then. – He said, and then he entered inside the portal like it was normal. The students gulped, but then, one by one, started entering inside. When it reached my turn, I entered, feeling like a cascade flowing through me for a moment, before I saw that I was in a room, with some kind of room and surrounded by guards and other people, and in front of me were the students that passed before me with Aran. When the rest came, we started walking through the hallways, which were illuminated by torches when there weren't any windows. Until they reached the door outside, and were seeing a spectacular view of a medieval city, busy with activity and some buildings that were breath-taking.

\- Welcome to Noyvern. We will have to walk a bit, but your belonging will be taken care of. This is the place where you will be staying, but mostly you will be at the academy, either practising or resting, even though you can be free to roam the city until curfew. There will be places where you can't go, and the guards in there will impede you to go. Now, let's start going. – He said, starting to walk as everybody was staring in awe the city and the different people. There were some people that were small, but another that had so different appearance that was chocking. The clothes were medieval, true to that, but seemed comfortable.

After a while, we reached a big building were was something like a fort, as we entered inside we could see some classes and libraries, or practice places were some people were using swords and weapons, or evading some projectiles. It was something that was incredible, but at the same time worrisome. As Aran saw the faces they were making as they watched some of the practices, he laughed. – Don't worry, you won't be doing those exercises in a time. You will be downright to the basics. We work in electives most of the time, being few of them obligatory. I will explain it better later, when we reach the dorm, and there will be a health check-up to verify if you are healthy enough to take classes, or you need the help, but as far I can see, madam Pomfrey was very skilled and very caring for you, so I have no doubt that you will be mostly alright. – He said, laughing a bit more before resuming the way toward a place that had some beds and looked right for a medical place, but had some altars and there was a man which had a tunic and some religious items that I couldn't identify.

\- He is Xavfire Loyalar, a cleric of Pelor. He is the principal healer of the academy, and will do some spells to check on you. It will take some time, but it's necessary. – Aran said, and then they started. The man called Xavfire was kind, and had some pastries that gave to everybody while he did some lights with his hands in each of them. But then, when he reached that light toward me, he frowned and made a note. – Is something wrong? – I asked shyly, I didn't want to be in troubles now, but the man just smiled kindly. – There isn't any problem, just which you need to follow a specific diet to grow up a bit with some potions during a time. – He said, as I felt better, returning with Ron and Hermione, that were smiling and Hermione was in his rapid questioning mode with expectations through the roof of what they will be learning while being there.

After the check-up; and eating the pastries that were one of the most delicious things I ate; even Ron and the twins who defended their mother cooking were agreeing, we reached to what it seemed the dorms. A total of fifteen beds with some bunk beds in top of each bed were arranged, and the trunks with everyone belonging were placed in each bed. – Now, you ought to rest. Tomorrow we will explain more things, and possibly make the beginning of some classes. Now rest, some of you need it. – Aran said with a smile, before leaving them in their own closing the door. The twins smiled, and ran toward the door, but found that the door wouldn't move even when they started doing some spells with their wands trying to open it, with no success.

\- They don't with security… Well, time to time. – Fred; or George, said, before sitting in one of the beds. – What do you think about everything that has happened? – I asked, trying to figure everything out, but by now, I was exhausted, as I didn't even have a rest in the day. I yawned, and soon everybody else followed in that. – I think that we are just tired, and tomorrow will be able to think more clearly. – Hermione said, holding a yawn and then something made a "thud", as Neville was out like a light in one of the bed. Soon, everybody went to their beds, and I couldn't even think that everything that I knew, would change again drastically in just that one night.


	2. Selecting the Future

**Well, second chapter and I am free from classes. I expect to be able to update a bit the rest of the stories when I have the time, so don't worry. Apart from that, it's a bit difficult to narrate the thoughts of a child, but I try my best, and some suggestions in that part would be good. As always, reviews are welcome, and I am looking for a Beta Reader for this story, to check grammar mistakes and give some ideas too. Now, enjoy**

 _Aran POV_

Today was a stressful day, since I normally don't have to be around children, even though I like them around. But the sight of Harry Potter set my alarm at the moment I treated him in the Chamber of Secrets in Hogwarts, as he was rather skinny for a child of his lifetime. When I was young I was rather skinny too, but not at the same calibre of him. And when I saw how other kids were in Hogwarts, a paradise for them instead of being in the hell of their families, was rather clear that my king Nasher made a good choice in taking over everything. Now the kids were sleeping soundly; even though the twins tried to open the door magically closed without success. Now that I had the time, I had to take care of everything and then, I would return to the side of my king, to resume most of my duties. My way was directly towards the cleric of Pelor, which had a dark look in the normally cheerful man.

\- "What did you see on the boy?" – I asked, serious while taking a seat. Xavfire nodded, while taking a bit of his drink, surely trying to find words to explain and reorganise his thoughts. – "We need to call a priest of Kelemvor." – He said, as I nearly stared him in shock. Everybody knew that the faith in Kelemvor was one that always take the people to embrace the death when it came, and had the undead in the first top of the list of enemies. – "You don't mean that that boy is an undead or cheating the death, right?" – I asked, trying to think how a boy of twelve years old was doing that, but then Xavfire shook his head, negating that trail of thought. – "It's more like someone is using him to host a part of his soul to avoid dying. It will be enough if the Kelemvor priest only remove that soul part. And after I saw the extent of damage, most priest would take the arms to kill the one who _took after_ him." – He said, as a feeling of relief washed over me, I wouldn't want a dead kid right now, but if Xavfire was saying these things, surely the ones who treated the kid that way will be going to pay a lot. I wasn't for torture, but one thing I couldn't stand was child abuse, and that someone was using him as a part of necromancy was making it worse.

\- "Well, now we have to take care of him, and the students here. I will make sure that the ones responsible be brought here, to their punishment. Anything else that we should worry?" – I asked, but as Xavfire shook his head in negation, it meant that the reunion was finished, as I stood and left after cordial words, I went directly to inform my king, and to rest a bit. This was going to be bigger than I thought, but with an effort it will be gone sooner than later, but then, normally you don't have to deal with a stupid government that was clearly corrupted to the core.

 _Harry POV_

I woke up, feeling rather refreshed and comfy, but then, my mind started recalling all the things that happened yesterday… The basilisk, Tom Riddle, the close of Hogwarts… I opened my eyes and saw the bunk bed in top, with a snoring Ron. I smiled as I got up, feeling rather hungry. I pushed a bit the bed of Ron, and with a push, he started to grumble, as he was waking up. Soon the rest of the room started to make the typical noise of people waking up and preparing themselves to a new day, even if that day was going to be anything but normal for the moment. Then, when everybody was dressed up with their school tunics; that was a bit of a task since the girls nearly hexed them to avoid being seen changing, someone knock the door, and the door opened revealing a woman that made all the people; at least the boy's part including me, drop their jaws, as the woman was stunning with her presence. She was wearing a leather armour with a sword in the hip, and a flute in the other part, and her hair was red like the fire, that went down toward her hip in a ponytail and her face was soft with youth, but had those pointed ears. – "Good morning, I suppose that you don't know that I am an elf, and that is a typical reaction when people first see us, but now please, close your jaws, I have five hundred years." – She said, making us look like fish now… and this time the girls joined. At this point, the woman laughed heartily.

\- "Come on, let's go to a class, where we will eat and I will show you how things work here. And my name is Loraenna, and I am one of the teachers here. I teach mostly to the bards, but I also impart some diverse knowledge." – She said with a smile, as we followed her through the hallways, now with more people. After a few moments, we reached a classroom that was empty with some food in the tables, mostly meat with some vegetables and bread. Hermione started the barrage of questions, but was interrupted by the smile of the teacher while saying that she will open a round of questions after everything is explained. When everyone ate; and in my case I had to take a potion that tasted like strawberries, we seated in order like in a class, with her at the front.

\- "Now, this school is very different from Hogwarts in term of learning. First off things, we work in an elective system of subjects. That mean that you will be the one responsible of going to these classes. But there are a few that are mandatory. I will begin on these." – She said, while giving each of us a parchment with a list of what appeared a lot of subjects that vary in a good range of knowledge that was even ridiculous in comparison to Hogwarts.

 _Mandatory Subjects:_

 _Basic Combat_

 _Physical Training_

 _Theology_

 _Basic History and Background_

 _Optional Subjects (Must select at least 3 of them, max 8)._

 _Theory of Arcane Magic_

 _Alchemy_

 _Forge_

 _Natural Magic_

 _Advanced Combat_

 _Ranged Combat_

 _Advanced Theology and Divine Magic_

 _Pick locking and Disarming_

 _Heal and Treatment_

 _Magic Combat_

 _Traditions_

 _Runes_

 _Arithmancy_

 _Music and Magic_

 _Investigation_

 _Sneak and Eavesdrop_

 _Plants and Animals_

 _Hand to hand combat_

 _Rage and how to control it_

Almost all the eyes went towards Hermione, at least mine with Ron and the twins were looking at her, which was now clearly frustrated to not being able to select all the optional subjects. But there was even one of how to control your rage, and that was very strange at most. When a moment passed, Loraenna decided to speak again.

\- "Well, as you see, there are a lot of subjects, but most of them won't be very helpful until you decide clearly what you want to do. Most of you probably have some aptitude for the arcane magic, but others have other talents that are to be exploited and developed." – She said, smiling as Hermione's hand was held up, probably wanting to speak and start her barraging of questions in a second. She sighed, before gesturing at Hermione to start her questions.

\- "Why it classify the magic into Arcane, Divine and Natural?" – She asked, clearly confused. That was another one, since we only knew that there was one only magic, the one that we make with our wands. But then, the guards that silenced the entire Great Hall of Hogwarts without a wand was enough proof that there is another type of magic in play, and that was something that made everyone pay attention; not like in History of Magic back in Hogwarts that most of the people started to bring their pillows to class.

\- "Well, mostly because the Arcane Magic is reachable by anyone with enough dedication or have the facility of accessing it since inside have some part of a magical creature long ago. But the Divine magic for example, require that you follow one of our deities and that he grant his favour to you for you to be able to do that type of magic. The natural magic consist mostly in the connexion with the nature, for it to help you fuelling the spell. You can try, and if you don't seem to do well, you can always drop the subject and change it for another." – She said, hearing some sighs of relief made by some students, including Ron and me in those, as we wouldn't be obligated to continue something that we didn't like.

\- "I will let you have an hour to discussing the electives and I can give you suggestions on where to go." – She said, and as soon as someone started to speak to another, Hermione was already in an internal furious debate of what subjects she should do or not. I started to cross the ones that I won't be doing, like control of the Rage, or Music, but still, there were a lot of interesting subjects, even though Arithmancy wasn't one for my liking, and Runes wasn't too, so that meant two less to select. I looked up, and saw Ron having the same problems as me, and Hermione looked right up to a panic attack. The twins were discussing it too between themselves, and Neville was looking as faint as a ghost.

 _Loraenna POV_

Things were actually funny, most of the future students were looking a bit distressed, and one of them; the girl that asked me, was nearly to a panic attack. But my gaze went downright to a student that was nearly a ghost, looking at the paper without knowing what to do. Probably he had something in the mind, like some stupid rule that in here would be a problem to his development, so I got up, and reached him, sitting in an empty chair and looking at him.

\- "Well, what's the problem?" – I asked, making that boy look at me. Then, he returned to the paper with all the subjects. – "I don't know what to do…" - He said, still looking at the paper, but she could see how there were some subjects underlined, all the ones related to nature… - "Do you like the nature?" – I asked with a smile, but inside I was feeling rather surprised. Most of the people would go to the Arcane magic, since they were more familiar with it, but this kid selected entirely a different type of magic and subjects, related mostly to druids and explorers.

\- "Herbology was my favourite subject. It was the one that I could be good, but I fail at the rest. Everyone can say it, that I am always so near to a squib." – He said in a whisper, and by the tone, it was better to speak it in private. I took him to outside of the class, to be able to speak with him without nobody eavesdropping the conversation, and I was aware that some people would use things like that to blackmail between other things.

\- "Okay, what's a squib?" – I asked, trying to get to the point. It was clear that he felt insecure, but that was expected by the fact that all the new students here would be under a new studies program, and their future was uncertain at most for them. But in this case, it was something else entirely, as this was one of the students who came here willingly, and that showed some courage.

\- "It's a person who have magical parents, but don't have magic. I am clumsy, always end up making all the mistakes possible, and I only started to use my magic when my grandfather threw me by accident through the balcony. He was keeping me from falling using a spell, and became distracted, and luckily I just bounced all the way in the street." – He said, and I saw red for a moment. Who could do that to a child!? What the heck was in the mind of every wizard in that plane!? This would be something I will have to speak to Aran, but for the moment, this was more important.

\- "Listen to me. It's normal to be a bit clumsy and fail a lot of times. Do you think that magic works always when we want? Normally it takes sometimes months to do correctly a single spell, and accidents included. For example, when I did my first spell, I ended up without eyebrows for two months until it grew back." – I said smiling, and laughing a bit at the end. He started laughing too, a timid giggle, but it was enough for now, after all it was going to be a long way before things started to settle.

\- "Now, I recommend you to take it easy. Take the Natural Magic, Plants and Animals and one or more courses you will like. In here, it's you that matters, not the rest. Now, breath and relax a bit before continue giving a thought." – I finally said, entering again in the classroom, letting the boy have his time to think about everything… Would there be more of those cases in here? Well, I expected that Xavfire was already including everything to his prayer to Pelor, as it was going to be a long way and if we had his blessing things would go smoothly, and if not, better to have the gods on our side.

 _Harry POV_

\- "Hermione, as Ron and I said before… Stop trying to actually try out all the subjects here." – I said, trying to avoid what would be a panic attack from Hermione, which had her quill ready to mark every subject possible, even with the limitation of eight subjects. Ron had selected his subjects already, and I had some already selected, but everything was interrupted when we saw how Hermione selected every subject except the subject about Rage. Now, Ron had the paper out of the reach of the eager hand of Hermione, and I had her wand to avoid her starting to use hexes to have her way.

\- "But…" – Hermione tried to say, but Ron interrupted her. – "Hermione, if you select all of them, you are going to die even before you start!" – He said while starting to check the subjects again. – "Argh, alright! I will select only eight of them!" – She said, giving up and catching the paper and the quill, starting to select the ones about theory like Theory of Arcane Magic or Investigation, and selecting some practical subjects too, like Magic Combat. When she finished, Ron caught the quill and I returned her wand, focusing myself in my own subjects.

After a few moments, I already selected everything I would do. I selected the Theory of Arcane Magic, Forge, Alchemy, Magic Combat, Advanced Combat, Investigation, Traditions and Sneak a bit more focused in trying to survive than other things as problems always came to me in one way or another even if I didn't pursued it. Ron caught the same as me, but he dropped the Alchemy and Traditions, and Hermione caught instead of Sneak&Eavesdrop and Advanced Combat, Runes and Ranged Combat. Then, we went to see what the others selected, and it was no surprise when Fred and George selected Alchemy and Pick locking&Disarming, and Neville to our surprise instead of Theory of Arcane Magic, selected the Natural Magic, Plants&Animals and Heal&Treatment subjects, apart from the Advanced Combat and Magic Combat subjects.

When taken all the papers, Loraenna smiled at them. – "Well, now you will be able to wander a bit until lunch, and then you will receive your schedules for this summer, and will have your first classes. Don't worry, we will go easy on you." – She said, going out of the class, letting us to do freely what we wanted. As soon as she went outside, the twins excused themselves and started running through the academy, surely trying to learn every corner of the building for their pranks, and soon we started to walk around the building with Neville, who was smiling a bit by his choices, but a bit worried about what his grandmother would say with his choices.

The walk wasn't eventful, except to drag Hermione out of the library when she saw all the different books stored in there, and Neville when he saw the classroom of Plants&Animals, that was covered with trees inside the classroom. We saw too that the people in the academy were much older than us, even some adults were studying in this academy or practising their skills, and seeing how one possible classmate was a man of twenty years old with muscles as big as our heads wasn't very reassuring. Soon, lunch was ready and we went directly to the canteen, where we saw how different people were eating, and seeing what it seemed an orc from the Lord of the Rings eating without manners wasn't easy to maintain the hunger.

We seated with the twins, eating some bread, meat that was very good; it was venison as the cooker said when he gave it to us, and some vegetables and fruits. There wasn't any sweets as Ron desired, but the cooker explained that it was a luxury most of the time that kind of food. When we finished, Loreanna approached us, with some papers that she gave us, and were the schedules. – "What do you have now?" – I asked, while I was seeing mine, that was very busy as it was packed until nearly the curfew at Hogwarts, with only half an hour to eat, in designated places.

\- "I have Plants&Animals, and later I have Alchemy and Heal&Treatment." – Neville said, while finishing his last piece of fruit. – "I have Forge, later free time and finally Theory of Magic." – Ron said, smiling a bit after eating a lot, nearly the same amount as the orc that was giving looks of approval of having a fellow eater in the place. – "Almost the same, but I have Alchemy instead of free time." – I said, and by the looks of Hermione it was the same, except that she had Runes instead of Forge. The twins were silent, but when we looked at them, they weren't there anymore… - "Well, at least they are practising early for their Sneak classes." – Hermione said, surprised that the twins were able to do that, and she left the table to her class of Runes, giving a quick goodbye before running toward the class. Soon, everybody else started to move, going each of us to each class.


	3. Returning to classes

**Hi everyone, I am finally reaching the point that I am going out of the writer's block, so here is the chapter. As always, I am looking for a Beta Reader for most of my stories, and reviews are welcomed.**

 **One thing, I got classified most of the people of Harry Potter world that will take classes here by classes of D &D roleplay, but one that I can't classify is Ron. I would gladly get any ideas that would go well with him. Now, enjoy the chapter!**

 _Neville POV_

That I was nervous was an understatement, since it was a class that I was all alone from my Friends. But it was actually one of the class that I was good, except for the part of animals, but the plants were good with me. I breathed a bit, reaching the class that I am supposed to do the class, and I couldn't stop smiling while seeing all the nature inside the classroom. Lots of trees making different shades of lights were present, and the floor was coated in grass. I entered in the classroom, and I could relax a bit, as I was alone for the moment. Maybe they were going to arrive a bit later, so I decided to explore a bit, feeling more adventurous than before, possibly because nobody here was going to make fun of me. But then, Trevor decided to explore too, going out of my pocket and start going his way.

\- "Trevor, wait!" – I shouted, following him and trying to catch him. It was a present of my grandmother, and I didn't want to know what would happen to me if I lost Trevor. Soon, I grabbed him, sighing in relief, but soon I concluded that I was lost in the classroom, as I couldn't see the door. But well, I could try to figure things out, maybe going from where I went before I could reach that door. Soon, that theory was destroyed when I reached the same place after walking some minutes. Tired, I decided to put my back in one of the trees and sit. Trevor then went out of the pocket again, but instead of going to explore, he watched me.

\- "Is it good that I decided to come here? Everything is so different, and more… dangerous than it Hogwarts…" - I asked Trevor, that only croaked in what it seemed an affirmative answer or a dismissive one, I couldn't understand it. I sighed, knowing that I was talking alone, but at least here nobody is near to listen to my rant, and Trevor couldn't say anything bad of me… Maybe it was better to let everything out in the open, where nobody here could listen to me, and be better later.

\- "It was on impulse… Harry was going alone here, and he was one of the few people that didn't say anything bad of me. Maybe… it was for repaying him that, but with his friends in here, what use I have? I don't know if I will be good enough, in Hogwarts I always screwed up most things, what if I screw up this now?" – I just continue, while some silent tears started to surface, and I hugged my own legs, hiding my face in my legs even if nobody was here to see me. I just didn't know what to do, I just wanted to help but even when we are here, probably I wouldn't be useful for anything, surely I wouldn't be able to do anything and being something that needed to disappear, like professor Snape always said when I stepped in Potions, that I didn't have any worth like most of the people said as I didn't have enough magic or didn't perform well in classes. Maybe I was afraid of being again all alone, in a big place with a lot of people, but that everyone decided to ignore me or push me to the ground.

Then, I felt something… it was strange, like some sun slipped and caressed my cheek, trying to remove the tears. Then, I heard something, like a snuff near me, and a snout touched my arms. I opened a bit my arms and lifted a bit my head to see, and I saw a wolf, a big wolf staring at me. Normally, I would have screamed, but something in the eyes of that wolf said that I didn't have to worry, that the wolf was worried about me. When I opened my arms, the wolf decided to lick one of my tears, probably trying to cheer me up. I hugged the wolf, caressing his skin and feeling a bit better… it was something strange, like a connection with that wolf. It was making me feel better by the moment, but felt good, like I wasn't alone anymore. I smiled, as I could feel the wolf happy to see me, to be with me.

Then, after I parted with the hug, I got up, seeing how there were more animals, like a deer, some squirrels, even some bunnies. There were more animals, but then, I could see how a man approached me, with a brown tunic that covered all his body and had those pointed ears that all elfs had. His eyes were brown, but had that look of wisdom which told that he knew more things than most mortal would have in his life. – "I see, Loraenna didn't miss… It's impressive." – He said, making me look at him confused. He shook his head, like stopping a thought, but then smiled.

\- "I am Noreak Silentread, I am the one who teach all the classes related to nature. Today, we are only you and I, as I tasked the other students some things for the next day before you decided the courses." – He presented, while sitting in the grass, and I decided to sit too, having the wolf's head in my lap, and one of my hand caressing absently his head. Noreak smiled fondly at it, like it was important achievement, but I wasn't so sure. I knew that it surely was impressive to have a wolf being that peaceful, but apart from that it wasn't exactly different, and surely there were more impressive things than this.

\- "I am Neville Longbottom… And he is Lorner." – I said, but I froze myself, as the wolf growled pleased. How I did know the name of the wolf? It was definitely strange, as it wasn't a name that I would select normally for an animal. Noreak continued with that fondly smile, as I looked more confused by the moment. Then, an owl approached Noreak, and hooted something, as he started to caress the feathers, before the owl went flying again.

\- "You have talents that your friends don't have. You connect with the nature at an instinctive level, feeling at ease in places where most people would feel stranded. And you have a protective nature, wanting to protect those you care, like a wolf with its pack." – Noreak said, smiling kindly while looking at me, like he was seeing right now my soul, and liked what he saw. It was strange, normally the teachers would start giving me shouts that I was doing things wrong, or in case of Snape removing points or giving detentions. Except the professor Sprout, I always felt at ease in her class, and I was better in that class than the others inside the castle.

\- "Now, do you want to learn some things about wolves and plants? Later, we can expand a bit in the natural magic, before you have to go to the Heal&Treatment class." – Noreak said, as I smiled a bit. Noreak was kind and calm, and didn't seem to despise me. It was an improvement, and I was actually looking forward to learn things of Lorner. The hours went by quickly, listening to Noreak about some plants and how to take care of wolves. Then, he looked at the sky, like looking at something.

\- "It's better to finish today class. Now, go to your next class, and take Lorner with you. It's your companion now, and surely you want to be with him all the time. Be sure to take care well of him." – Noreak said, as my jaw dropped. It was more surprise than anything. Before, I only had Trevor if you think carefully about it, and he always got to explore things leaving me trying to find him, and now I had a wolf that was trying to get my attention to caress him in the ears. I decided to caress his ears absentminded while I started walking toward my next class, with a smile while feeling I wasn't so alone after all.

 _Harry POV_

I went directly with Ron to the class of Forge, when we felt a direct hit of a warm wave of air coming from the door of our class. I gulped, thinking that it wasn't a good idea to enter, but finally, we entered inside, starting to sweat a good deal. Inside, there were a smithy with a forge and every type of things that you would see in a film that had a good smithy scene. And of course, inside there were already some people working the iron with their hammers, mostly men that had lots of muscle and making again thinking of fleeing as fast as we could. But before we could even think of that, a man approached us. It was smaller than the rest, reminding us of professor Flitwick, but that was the end of the similarities, since he had a good deal of muscle and a large beard. – "Good to know that there are people interested in forging. I am Shaamros Underfoe, and I expect you to work a lot, as everything you make in here you can keep it!" – He said with a smile, but then he looked at me, and frowned.

\- "You will need to improve your physical condition before starting to make your own blade on your own. It need some strength after all, but I will help you or someone else in the process while you recover. Now, both of you, take one of the aprons and gloves in there, you will need it if you don't want to get burned." – He said, while pushing us to the part where there were some clothes prepared. It seemed that he didn't want us to flee from the class, so we would just need to stay in there until it finished the class, and then I would have to go to alchemy; which I expected to be better than the Potion's classes with Snape. I put the apron and the gloves, and we went to the teacher.

\- "Well, first we are going to understand exactly how to work the metal. Each steel have its own properties, and for beginners, the iron is always a good choice. It's malleable and most of the weapons are made with this, even if we use the steel more than the iron. And for the weapon we will be doing, it will be a dagger, is easy to make, and you both can't lift a sword either way." – He said, but I remembered how I used the sword of Gryffindor to fight the basilisk, but even then, I just was fighting for my life and I doubted they would believe me if I said it, as I knew the basilisk I killed was just one you could find in six hundred years or so, and I didn't caught anything to demonstrate it, not that I wanted it anyway.

\- "I know your feats, Harry Potter. I know that you fought a basilisk with a sword and won, but nearly killed yourself in the process if it weren't for Aran. I want to speak with you about it, it's an interesting tale to tell, I am sure about it." – He said with a smile, but I felt already the same pressure than in Hogwarts, always with the fame. Then, the teacher started to explain how to make the dagger, and showed us step by step how to do it, even diluting the iron to make it liquid. It was interesting how things took form in your own eyes, as I started to forget that pressure and annoying feeling of being famous again; but at least nobody was looking at me that way except the teacher, and that was only for a moment.

\- "You too have some tales to tell, Ron Weasley. I know too that you led your friends in a deadly strategic game, and you sacrificed yourself to give your friends the chance to continue forward. Most of the generals in the army wouldn't even think of sacrificing themselves for victory, and I am sure that you will have enough chances to prove yourself in that way in the advanced classes." – Shaamros told Ron, that was surprised but smiled, feeling recognized… Maybe he was feeling under the weather, because always he was recognized for his brother than that for himself, so someone telling him that he was there would be good for him.

Soon, the time was out, and we only had done part of the dagger. – "Don't worry about it, it takes time to do a dagger. We will continue the next class, and if you want to continue in your free time come to me." – Shaamros said, as I made my way to the door after I removed the apron and the gloves, but I saw how Ron stayed behind. – Ey mate, I am going to continue my dagger, don't have anything better for the moment to do anyway. – Ron said, and I looked at him confused.

\- "Who are you and what did you do to Ron?" – I asked surprised, as the fact that Ron _never_ stayed behind after class, except if it was to accompany me for detention or giving me moral support. Ron laughed at that, surely expecting that reaction from me, and I continue that confused look, trying to figure out why he would stay in the forge with all the heat.

\- "Don't worry, I am still me. Just that I would want to show Hermione the dagger as the fact that I can do things on my own without her nagging." – He said, making sense again everything. He had that relation with Hermione, wanting every chance to say that he is better than her in at least one thing, like when he beat her at chess he didn't stopped to say it until Hermione hexed him to dance uncontrollable for half an hour. I smiled at that, and went out to the Alchemy class, expecting it to be better.

 _Ron POV_

I felt bad for lying, but I needed some time alone, even if it was only for hitting the iron and making the dagger. Harry was my friend, and saved Ginny from dying, but he always had that part of him that made everyone notice him and making me disappear, nobody wanting to know my opinion, only Harry or Hermione. But here, I expected to be more subsided for Harry's part, since here didn't have any reason to be the Boy Who Lived, but even then, the fact that he killed a basilisk got out, and surely it would spread. The only good thing is that the part of the chess play got out too, and I was recognized by it, but not much as killing a basilisk.

\- "Well, seems that you got some things in your head. I know that your friends got some fame behind them, and for Harry some of that is misplaced for what I know. But I want to ask you a question, is better the bishop or the king?" – Shaamros asked me, interrupting my thoughts while I looked at the iron. I never expected the question, even if it was of chess that I was an expert in that, since it was one of the few things that I was proud of.

\- "The king is important, since if it's killed, you end up losing the game, but the bishop is truly versatile even though it can only go diagonally." – I replied, feeling a bit confused, but Shaamros was looking at me with a look that was getting frightening. – "Then, as you know, in that chess play where you sacrificed yourself, for your friends was like losing their king. You were the one giving directions, and protecting them. Harry can be a hero in your world, and the other one; Hermione was it, a bright witch, but they needs someone by his side, someone that have a strategic mind, to look for consequences of every move. "– He said, looking at me serious. I gulped, not knowing what to think about it.

\- "But every moment… I don't know." – I said, not knowing exactly what he meant. I wanted to protect my friends, but surely they knew how to defend themselves. And we were exactly in a moment of tension between worlds, being taken and taught manners of other world right now. It was something uncertain… Maybe he was referring to avoid making thing worse by some parts of our world that are wrong… but it wasn't that bad, even if the Ministry is slow for taking care of things, and Dumbledore always tried his best to do the right thing for everyone… Wait… if that was true, why Dumbledore sent Harry to his relatives? It was clear that he was being treated badly, the Dursley had bars in his window, and six locks in the door, then what would be the reason for going there?

\- "I think that I did give you some things to think about. I suggest speaking to your friends, but feel free to speak with me, lad. Now, let's continue with the dagger." – He said, starting to do the next step on my dagger, while I tried to do the same thing. I would have to speak with Harry and Hermione after classes, when we were alone. It was something that never appeared in my mind after I came here, but something was up with at least Harry's placement to live, and surely it wasn't because Harry was a masochist to go to the Dursley. It was because he was going forced there, and it was really strange that my mother after telling her everything she would not react legally toward the Dursley or try to adopt Harry to take care of him. I would have to investigate further… Damn, I would have to take the Investigation course to do it better…


	4. Dealing with charms

**Sorry for the wait! I was so busy with the summer holidays; mostly studying for my grade before it starts, and having a writer's block doesn't help much. As always, I am seeking some Beta Readers for my stories, and reviews are welcome. Now, enjoy!**

 _Harry POV_

It was very strange that Ron wanted to stay behind in a class, but maybe it was for the better… apart from the fact that Hermione would have a heart attack and say something like someone switched with Ron and was impersonating him. But maybe he was trying to cope with the fact that he wasn't at home for holiday, and it was a fact that for the moment there wasn't so much to do in here apart from study, so if he enjoyed forging it would be good, even if we got a lot of sweat in our body and the fact that we didn't have any moment to go to shower or to remove the sweat by that fact.

But those thoughts were interrupted when I saw the classroom of Alchemy. It was so similar to the dungeons that I felt like Snape would appear from behind one of those cauldrons to start tormenting all the Gryffindor and me. And then, something appeared right behind one of the cauldrons, making me jump in surprise, but then I saw better and saw what I supposed to be the teacher. He was a man, with some ankles in his face, but what it was more surprising was that he was small… ridiculously small for that fact, nearly as small as the dwarf that taught me and Ron the last class, but with less muscle. He smiled at me kindly, and then murmured something before one towel went directly to me.

\- "I always have towels for the people who comes here after Forge or one of the physical classes. Let's wait for the rest, but you can go to a cauldron and wait there." – He said kindly, before going to the back, leaving me alone. It appeared that I had a better teacher in Potions this time, so maybe I could learn better the subject, with the fact that I didn't have to be reminded of the sneer or the fact that Snape always looked for a chance to give me detention or remove points to the house. Then, my thoughts were interrupted again by the door opening, showing a large pile of books being held by two hands at the bottom of the pile. It was pretty clear that the only one who could do it was…

\- "Need help?" – I asked, and only received as an answer a buff, so I grabbed some books of the top, letting Hermione see in front of her. It wasn't exactly normal for most people, as I could see people behind her watching this with curiosity in their eyes, amused even, but for me and Ron this was normal, as Hermione without a book was as rare as a Weasley without red hair.

\- "Just carried away…" – Hermione said, putting her books in the table in front of us, but surely it would be a wonder how she would take all those books again… then it got me that she surely was counting in Ron and me to help her with that… It was like going shopping with a girl, but instead of bags we were taking the books. Well, at least she shared the books with us, if we needed it for our homework, and that was an advantage in a way even if they usually don't like to take their homework seriously, but even then, in this place it was nearly a rule that if you don't do your best, you are being eaten alive, if the numerous students that had mostly fit bodies and always had a weapon in them.

After a while, most people entered, and some of those students grabbed the towels and wiped their sweat before sitting in their place. One could see that they had been working out, as they still had some sweat in them, and they just showed in their way of sitting that they just wanted to rest. It was really different from Hogwarts, as for the fact that most of the students here were directly much older than them, with the fact that it had much people that weren't even human. He just wanted to think that this class would be better than the Potion class, which he supposed it wouldn't be too difficult.

 _Later that day_

The class went well, the teacher was kind and his method of teaching was similar to Potions, except that he checked and corrected the mistakes in a gentle manner, while making sure that nothing happened. It already was a very good improvement, as I felt really relaxed while doing the task, and I am sure that Neville would be grateful about it, if they ever get around in convincing him in taking again something related to Potions. Soon, I went directly with Hermione to Theory of Magic, surely a subject that was the biggest threat of being a boring class, except for Hermione that was ready to learn everything in a moment. I sat in the middle of the class with Hermione, reserving a place for Ron when he came from his free hour.

\- "Ey Harry." – Said someone, making me jump, as I looked who talked. It was one of the twins. Who was who still was something that I should work on, but they took it as one of their trademarks jokes.

\- "Guess what." – Continued the other twin, in their manner of speech.

\- "Our teacher…" – Said Fred

\- "Declared…" – Said George

\- "A prank war!" – Said the twins together, to the dumbfounded expressions of all the students from Hogwarts. Everyone knew the pranks that the twins came up, and nobody wanted to be in the middle or the victim of a prank of them.

\- "Wait… how come a teacher enter in a prank war with you two?" – Hermione said, with an expression that was implying that the twins were crazy for doing something to a teacher. But then, a flash happened blinding everyone, and as Hermione recovered, started blushing madly at the twins. I started laughing without be able to stop, as well as the rest of the people inside of the classroom. The twins got a moment to recollect that they were without any clothes in their bodies, before blushing madly and going out of the classroom towards their room.

\- "Well, let's see if they react enough to guess that I took their clothes in the trunks too." – Said someone, appearing in the middle of the class, bowing to us. It was a woman that was small, nearly as tall as Flitwick, but was more like a human than the part of a goblin Flitwick had. She was wearing a leather armour, and had some daggers in every part of the armour. Her hair was brown and short, with brown eyes, and it seemed a bit old.

\- "Hello everyone, I am Janrath Lightouch, the teacher for some of the subterfuges skills. Also, if someone picks on someone else, be sure to tell me or one of the teachers, be sure that here we don't take lightly things like that, and have a hard hand. That's not to say that we don't know how to enjoy, I like a prank and having someone here to have a prank war is something that I expect to enjoy a lot. If anybody want to help the twins, do it but be careful because you will turn in my objectives." – She said with a grin that was telling very clearly that what happened to the twins was only a warm up, before disappearing with a blink in our part.

\- "Well, that was something you don't see in Hogwarts." – I said, while thinking that Ron hadn't been here to watch all of this. Where could he be?

 _Ron POV_

I was actually feeling bad with myself. How could I not see it till now? It was so clear by the way they got the window with iron bars that seemed like a prison, and the six locks in the door with a cat door to let possibly food inside. And to not mention how scrawny Harry is; even if I didn't paid attention until now that he ate a lot less than normal. The only thing was that I never saw any kind of physical damage in him, but the cries that he have at night, possibly because nightmares were frightening, and I didn't know why I didn't even tried to comfort him. And I call myself his best friend? What a joke from my part. Now, I have at least to repay him by doing something, starting by finding Aran. Maybe if I explained my situation, I could try to do some good.

The problem was actually, finding Aran inside the building, since he didn't even said some way to contact him. After a while, I reached a part of the academy that I wasn't sure where I was. It was a hallway with lots of doors, but apart from that there was no way to tell where I was. I continued walking a bit, trying to check some way to see inside of those doors, but almost all of them were closed. Surrendering a bit, I decided to call the last door with some knocks, before I heard the voice of Aran said that I could enter. I opened the door, and my jaw dropped at the sight of the room.

It was far bigger than I thought, since it had a far lot of space in the middle, possibly to do some type of rituals, while having a place to brew potions and a library that surely Hermione would try to read at least twice. It had too a kitchen with some basic utensils and a bedroom. It was by far one of the biggest rooms I could ever see for some private quarters. In a chair in front of a fireplace, I could see Aran, reading a book that had no title I could actually understand.

\- "Hello. You are Ronald Weasley, right? You were inside that chamber too." – He said, smiling at me. But after looking at me, he frowned. Surely he got the fact that I wasn't exactly smiling and looking a bit worried. He made a nod, and got up to close the door, muttering an incantation that I couldn't recognise, before putting a hand in my shoulder, guiding me to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace, while sitting himself in another of the chairs.

\- "What is the problem?" – He said, while looking at me in the eye. I sighed, trying to recollect everything in my mind. It was actually strange that what I would want to say wasn't going out, I wanted to yell about how I did nothing to help Harry with all his nightmares, with not denouncing the relatives that hurt him. Then, the first thought that made me went to Aran was clear enough.

\- "Could you check me for spells first?" – I said, trying to be serious, but I was nearly a breakdown right now, and not one of the good ones that I end up crying, it was something that was near into a rage toward the one who made it impossible to help Harry. Aran looked at me, and nodded, before muttering another incantation. Then, I started glowing, and Aran frowned, as seeing the result positive that I had charms put in me.

\- "I suppose that those charms weren't put with your knowledge." – He said, and I nodded. Then, Aran made another incantation and I felt something unlocking inside my mind, as the memories of the nights flooded my mind, where Harry would scream in agony inside by the nightmare he was suffering, or by the noticeable bruises he had each time he sported both the first time I saw him in the train for Hogwarts and when we rescued him from the Dursleys.

\- "I knew… I knew all along that Harry was suffering, but each time I wanted to help him, those charms made me forget…" - I said, trying to explain what happened, and Aran made a sign for me to continue. I breathed a bit, trying to control my emotions, normally I would do a rampage, but now it wasn't exactly the time, Harry needed me right now to be all the logical I could, so not entering into a rage was one of the things I needed to do.

\- "Someone wanted Harry to be abused, to be hurt. I don't know who, but the only one that could do it was Albus Dumbledore. It isn't a pleasant thought, thinking that he made plans to guarantee this, but… he had the power in the magical world to make it happen." – I said, trying to even convince myself that it was the only way possible, but then Aran shook his head. I frowned at that… Was I wrong in this?

\- "It was a good thinking, but I could detect that the magic wasn't made by a spell with your wands… It was made by someone from this plane, I recognised the spell. I will investigate this matter, and if my deduction are correct, I would like you to come with me. It's important to try to know how it affect everything, and I think that you have a very good mind in your shoulders." – Aran said, smiling at me, and I couldn't stop my smile from surfacing. It was strange being complimented on something that I did, with no references to Harry or Hermione.

\- "Uhm… do you have a chess? I think that I could think a bit better." – I said, and Aran raised an eyebrow in what I supposed was surprise, but he nodded and brought a chess with the pieces, organising it with care. I had to say that the chess was beautiful, made with crystal that showed some figures that if I had to play with them in the magic chess, it would be a bit heart-breaking seeing them destroyed.

\- "Well, thinking about it, the magical world would have Albus Dumbledore as his King, but I don't think he is the King…"- I started murmuring, while starting moving both set of pieces against each other, while I started replaying everything I knew. How the war ended, how everything went in a peace… Something wasn't… right.

\- "Why do you think that?" – Aran asked, while watching me start removing pieces from both set of pieces, but not taking any grand piece for the moment. Then, I made a move, putting the Queen as thought it was another enemy queen of the white set of pieces to make check on the King.

\- "Because it targeted Harry directly. Professor Dumbledore act like a King, but his role is a Queen. Had every move except one, with knowledge it's a very powerful piece. But Harry is a King, the way he was set up to be hurt, to be defenceless against his relatives, how all my family didn't do anything to repair that… Not to mention the close encounters with You Know Who, but that I don't know if it enter in those plans." - I said, but then, I moved some more pieces, until I finished putting all the pieces, this time some grand pieces of my part removed, like the bishops and towers.

\- "But if the Queen is being an enemy as well… The King is controlled in every part, as well as the other pieces. And there is something not right. Why they would try to harm Harry? I know that he defeated You Know Who when he was a baby, but apart from the Death Eaters and You Know Who, nobody of this plane should try to harm him." – Aran said, while moving along some pieces to simulate some movements. Soon, I started moving the pieces too, starting like a frenetic battle. I started to sweat, trying to guess the next movement as fast as I could, since Aran didn't seemed to stop even a second to move the next piece. Normally, I would start saying that it wasn't just, but this wasn't a conventional chess play after all.

Soon, my part was utterly destroyed except from my king, but the side of Aran was damaged with only a quarter of the pieces in place, except that I won since at the last moment I killed his king. It reminded me the time of the play of chess of Mcgonagall, but at least this time I didn't have to sacrifice myself. Then, Aran killed my King, as if ignoring that I killed his King.

\- "Well done. You are very good for your age. But we can do some polishing. Now, come with me, but before that… can you defend yourself?" – Aran asked, but I shook my head, since I didn't have my wand after all… Lockhart had to blow himself up and leaving without his memories. Aran nodded, and went to a place, where he seemed to think something, before catching a staff and handed it to me and I felt how my magic tingle around my hands, connecting with the staff.

\- "It's a beginner staff, it should act as a medium for your magic. And it's more resistant so you can hit with it if you can't use your spells. I doubt that there will be a problem, but better to be on the safe side." – Aran said, before starting to go outside. I followed him, holding the staff in my hands, trying to think about everything that recently happened. Before I took hold of my surroundings, I was following Aran inside the same portal that brought us from Hogwarts, and I got to saw the castle. It was the same as always, and the train of Hogwarts wasn't there. I continue to follow Aran, but I could see how there were guards in the castle, armed to the teeth, possibly to avoid problems…

Then, we reached the headmaster office…


	5. Illusion Broken

**Well, I got back to this story, finally getting this chapter finished. I don't think it is very good, possibly I will end up rewritting it later if I have the chance of restructuring it better. But after all, I think it will give a lot of headaches of the extent of damage inside of the wizarding world and how it interacts with everything. Now, enjoy the chapter!  
**

 _Ron Weasley POV_

The headmaster office was like last time I went inside, with all the portraits of the headmasters looking at us, or speaking between them, or sleeping. Inside the office, the presence of the headmaster was reassuring, but at the same time with what I discovered a bit dangerous; along with professor McGonagall that looked at me in surprise, with a sneer of Snape to finish the welcome of Aran and myself. The one thing missing was Fawkes, the phoenix of the headmaster.

\- "Mr. Weasley, weren't you in the new academy along the rest of the students?" – The headmaster asked, with curiosity but I refused to meet his eyes… I couldn't do it until my suspicions were cleared, as he could be influenced by a charm or something worse, and I didn't want to trigger it.

\- "Mr. Weasley got some information that have to be cleared. Like how he and possibly his brothers had a charm on him that prevented talking about the abuse of Harry Potter." – Aran spoke clearly, provoking a gasp from McGonagall and a sneer of Snape, which I glared back with fury in my eyes.

\- "Surely he is lying. They should be expert at that, and Potter is always screaming for attention in every stunt he does." – Snape said, but before he could say anymore a glare made by Aran was enough to put him to silence.

\- "We take this seriously, and the cleric of our academy already have him in nutrition diet until he reach the weight and height of the rest of his classmates, along with possibly mental scars of his battles in this castle. How could you let three kids of eleven years old take on a Cerberus, a plant that strangle its victim, keys that could cut them to pieces, a chess that could kill you, poison, and to finish it, a professor possessed by a spirit? And to actually beat those defences, you should have already tipped all the answers, except the chess play, and possibly the poison." – Aran said, making me remember how I did sacrifice myself to let Hermione and Harry go ahead to defeat the one that was trying to steal the philosopher stone. But as he was saying it, the reality is that except the last two, they were easy to overcome if you looked ahead.

\- "And now, a basilisk that nearly kills Mr. Potter, and a diary that contained a piece of a soul of Voldemort which nearly let him resurrect except for the fact that Mr. Potter got to kill it along the basilisk, saving the one named Ginny Weasley. And even with the evidence of the ghost of the girl bath that could give you the location and the information about the basilisk, you let two boys go ahead and try to save the girl. And don't forget that each teacher in the defence class was as good as a troll teaching the alphabet." – Aran continued, making professor McGonagall looking between ashamed of herself and horrified about the part of the diary, along with Snape looking the other way, possibly trying to ignore everything that was being said. But the face of the headmaster was strange, with no change in his face…

\- "Now, I will agree that we could have done things better, but everything ended up alright. The diary is destroyed, the chamber danger was killed, and Ms. Weasley is recovering with her parents. Now, I have to ask that Harry returns to his aunt's house." – The headmaster said, making everyone in the office looking at him like he had grown another head. He plainly ignored the rant of Aran like it was a child tantrum.

\- "That is not up to discussion, Albus Dumbledore. He will not return to that house, blood wards or not." – Aran said, making a tense silence in the office. I could see how the headmaster looked like ashamed, but then his face returned to express nothing, like the ashamed feeling wasn't before.

\- "Aran, do the same thing you did to me." – I said, making everyone look at me rather alarmed.

\- "What did he do to you, Mr. Weasley?" – McGonagall said, worried for a bit, but I shrugged off the concern. Meanwhile, Aran started to chant the same words he used to dispel the charm I had, but the headmaster moved, starting to wave his wand to avoid the spell used or to try to knock off Aran.

\- "Expelliarmus!" – I shouted, using the staff I had pointing it to the headmaster. He didn't thought that I would attack him, impacting him and sending his wand flying as the same time the spell of Aran finished, infusing the place with the dispelling energy. There were sounds like glasses broking with force for a moment along a blinding light, which disappeared in a moment, but the result prompted me to scream in terror along professor McGonagall, and a horror face of Aran and Snape.

The headmaster, once looked as a wise grandfather figure, it was a decaying corpse with the white beard intertwined inside the gaps of the rotten muscles, without actual eyes to look at us and a smell that made me nearly puke. Then, the corpse spoke. – "It seems that the pleasantries are over…" - It said, before starting running toward Aran, with his mouth agape probably to bite him. I ran toward it, lunging in the rotten hips to make it miss the attack, but then I felt how it gripped me, pushing me to his mouth before I felt how something pulled me out of his grip with enough force to end up in a wall.

I could see then McGonagall and Snape with their wands ready, shouting spells to the corpse, but it picked the wand, making a protection spell that was protecting him. Meanwhile, Aran chanted something and some balls of pure magic appeared through his hand, shooting towards the corpse that deflected all of them with ease. Then, with wand movements some parts of the office detonated, making everyone duck for cover, and giving the corpse enough time to move towards me again. I tried to put the staff to block him, but he ripped it from my hands with ease.

He was gripping me again, as I tried to force my way out of his reach along the screams of the rest trying to reach me in time to save me were echoing the place, the head of the corpse exploded, feeling how the corpse disappeared in dust. The silence was deafening, and then, a gasp from both the professors were heard, as I looked to a man that looked worse of many people I knew, a bit fat with two front tooth with some ticks as a rat, along a finger missing in one of his hands and a wand in the other hand, pointing at the point where the corpse was.

\- "Peter?" – McGonagall asked with tremor in her voice, like she couldn't believe the man was here. The man lowered his wand, smiling for a moment to the professor, before dropping to his knees, looking mortified and gripping his head as if something was hurting him. Snape was in the same position, before something ripped and straws of magic dazzled in the air before disappearing.

\- "Sorry, so sorry. How could I do that!? How!?" – The man cried, as tears went down his face. Snape was silent, like trying to process something, and McGonagall was trying to figure what was happening, while Aran was muttering something, possibly more spells to find out what happened. I stayed silent, trying to avoid attention and figure out what happened.

 _One hour later_

We were made to go to the infirmary; a place which I started to understand why Harry usually dislikes being here. I was being checked again for bites, but nothing appeared so I was only shaken up. The man called Peter was still bawling over something, and Snape was more distant than I ever saw him. McGonagall was shaken up, and Aran was looking over us while Madam Pomphrey was finishing checking us. Finally, my patience ran out.

\- "Can someone tell me what is going on? And where is Scabbers?" – I said, while I checked in my pockets for Scabbers, as I didn't remember if I took him along or not, and if he was alright if he was in the fray. The man crying then looked at me, smiling before in a blink there was instead Scabbers before he turned back. I couldn't speak… that man was sleeping in my bed since Percy gave him to me… I felt like I needed to take a shower till the filth was out of me.

\- "Why were you hiding Peter? We thought that you were killed by Sirius Black, your mother passed away devastated by your death." – McGonagall said, but the man shook his head, with a look of shame in his face and sadness.

\- "I wasn't myself, professor… And why Padfoot would try to kill me? He tried to protect me." – He said, making a pregnant silence. Something was very wrong as McGonagall was looking rather shocked by the second, as if she couldn't believe it, and Snape shared the look of incredulity.

\- "But… Sirius Black was the Secret Keeper of James and Lily. He sold them to You Know Who!" – McGonagall shouted accusing him of lying or something. I knew about the case of Sirius Black, the man who in theory killed a big amount of muggles with only a spell along with Peter Petegrew.

\- "He wasn't the Secret Keeper… It was me. But I didn't do it either…" – Peter said, with a look of concentration, like trying to remember something. It was akin to when I struggled to remember some things before the charms were released, so maybe he was trying to process a good amount.

\- "When the Fidelius charm worked, I went into hiding in my home, but then Sirius came to me, shouting that I had to flee. But then, something got a hold on us, making us unable to move. Someone appeared, and then started chanting something, and the next thing I knew is that this kid was being assaulted by a corpse. Now, I remember fragments, but the things I remember are things that I am going to repent the rest of my life…" – He finished, looking utterly ashamed. At these words, Aran looked at him.

\- "It's a spell, similar to Imperius, but stronger. It's called Dominate Person. The person in question is not only being controlled, is like being a slave, but retaining the capacity of the person in question. I suppose that my dispelling spell removed that spell from him along the illusions." – Aran said, looking thoughtful, but then a voice spoke, in a mere whisper.

\- "Indilwen…" - The voice was clearly Snape, but with a mourning voice that I couldn't phantom in the man. But the way Aran looked at him was something akin to surprise. But Aran quickly composed himself.

\- "I think that Mr. Weasley must go back now. He missed the rest of his classes, and I think he could do with an amount of rest. Later we will continue discussing this." – Aran said, with a tone that nobody should say or do otherwise. But again, a voice interrupted before anybody could ever move.

\- "Don't think going again without taking me there. I am the healer of Hogwarts, but these students were under my care, and they are going to stay that way till I see each of them graduate at least. And don't ever dare to suggest a thing of me staying here, because I suppose that even in your world should know better than say no to a healer." – Said Ms. Pomfrey with a voice that made everyone cower in fear, and even Aran cringed a bit at the threat. It seemed that it was true that you don't mess around with healers on a warpath.

\- "I wouldn't suggest otherwise. You would be a very good asset in the medical wing of the academy, and the students there would be reassured to have a friendly face." – Aran said quickly to appease the healer, which had a trunk already and her wand in hand to force herself if necessary. But while they were discussing other things, I just have mind for one thing in my mind… - "In what mess Harry got now!?" –

 _Aran Ralthây POV_

I took Mr. Weasley to his classmates, along with Ms. Pomfrey to her post in the medical wing; which got along very well with Xavfire as I went out of the room the moment they started to speak about forms of treatment. Now, I sighed, as I had to discuss a lot of things, but the top now was that whisper from the potions master. That name wasn't coincidence, it was the name of someone very appreciated in my kingdom that was fading away… Nobody knew what happened to left her in such a state, but now maybe I would be able to get some answers.

I entered again in Hogwarts, going directly to the office of the potions masters, opening them. I saw him, seated in one chair with a glass of firewhiskey. At least I got here before he downed half the bottle. – "Severus Snape, I won't beat around the bush. How do you know that name?"- I said, imposing my authority. I put before all the charms on me that would let me know if he would be lying, and I was expecting answers.

\- "And why I should tell you about her?" – He said, clearly opposed to say anything, but he already did… He knew her, and maybe was a direct consequence of her depression.

\- "Well, since she is someone very important in my kingdom, and she is clearly not well, it's my job to investigate every lead." – I said, but the effect of that were clearly surprising. The potions master looked at me with a mix of surprise, hope, and finally rage, and the next thing I knew was that I was flung towards the door with force.

\- "She is dead!" – He said while preparing another spell, but I put a shield to avoid receiving more of those spells. But it was strange… why was he thinking that she was dead? Her behaviour was something akin to being dead; hell, we had to sometimes force feed her.

\- "She is alive, but as it is, the likeness is close if something is not done. So tell me." – I said, maintaining my calm, it wouldn't be good to lose my temper now, and my magic was more powerful than a mere jinxes after all.

\- "Then how me the proof. Show me that she is alive." – He said, stopping throwing me the spells. I sighed, as I got one artefact, a mirror that let communication between people, if there was a surface akin to a mirror nearby. – "Indilwen" – I said, and the mirror started to cloud, before showing the figure of an elf, which was beautiful with red hair that came down in waves of her long hair and green eyes that seemed like emeralds, but filled with sorrow and hopeless. Then, she looked at me, surprise in her face, but then remained the same, without emotion.

\- "Well met, sir Ralthây. Something happened?" – Her voice carried, and soon the potions master was looking paler than I have seen in a human in a long time. He put himself in front of the mirror, pulling it from my grasp and grabbing it with his knuckles going white as he saw the reflection.

\- "Sev? Is that you?" – She said, with a hopeful sound in her voice, a tone that raised hope in my heart that I was reaching her problem, at least to a first stage, and I have to dig deeper to understand more.

\- "Lily, I am sorry… So sorry, I didn't want anything to happen, I implored him to spare you." – He implored, begging for a kind of redemption. But it was clear that he was the one who put her in such a state. In my mind was going to the nasty spells I knew to torture him, but then her voice interrupted my thoughts.

\- "It's not your fault, Sev. It's mine to not accept you apologise then. At least someone I know is alive…" – She said, with a mourning look… she lost people, people she cared about…

\- "There are more people, Lily. Minerva is still kicking and putting the students in line, and your son is already giving me headaches with his stunts." – He said, making me look at him like he grew another head in a second, as Indilwen looked at him with so hopeful eyes that hurt.

\- "What!?" – I said, caught in the surprise, but soon it drowned in the voice of Indilwen; or Lily as she called herself in this world, as she started interrogating the potion master.

\- "Harry is alive… my baby is alive… Please, tell me everything, where is he? What are his hobbies? Who took care of him?" – She started asking, with the biggest smile that I saw her in years. Now I was having a problem… how to say to her every little problem her son had, and the bigger problem that was painting right now in both worlds…


	6. Mothers on a warpath

**Well, I got my inspiration right back! I am quite content with this chapter, and I expect to continue being like this, but I am sure that this state of mine wont last, so I better write everything I can xD. Now, as always I am looking for a Beta Reader for this story, and enjoy the chapter!  
**

 _Herenvarno POV_

It was a normal day in the castle, but the way everyone moved was depressed with concern for my daughter. Indilwen was still depressed; only moving around without speaking or only eating the bare minimum to exist. It was like watching a spirit moving around, haunting the castle with her presence. She was fading, and we couldn't do a thing to avoid it. Even sending my best wizard; Aran Ralthây to investigate every little lead he discovered was moot. I sighed, as I tried to focus on my realm, as it was my duty even when my heart only wanted to be with my daughter trying to make her come out of her depression that carried now twelve years.

Then, the noise of the door of my study opening with force distracted me. For a moment, I thought that it was an enemy without intelligence trying to kill me, so I got up with my hand reaching for my sword, but then I saw better and I could see my daughter… completely pissed off and with flames in her eyes. It was a difference from the last time I saw her, but I gulped as she reached toward me. But looking into her eyes, I could see that the fury was not directed at me, as well the sadness and… hope?

\- "In the name of Ehlonna, what happened?" – I asked to my daughter, reaching for her and I was lucky in that, as she collapsed in my arms, crying in my chest. The fury was still there, but she needed to process something big. I only had to let her vent everything, and be patient, but it was heart-breaking seeing her like that, and surely if someone was the culprit of this, the kingdom would take every weapon at their disposal to kill that man.

\- "Father… I need your help." – She finally said as I held her, looking at me, pleading with her eyes. I stayed silent, but I started to walk towards a sofa, and made us sat to be able to speak better. It was going to be difficult for her, but I needed to know what happened, so I could take the necessary step to help her heal.

\- "You know that I will help in every way possible, except if it's something outright dangerous. But if I help, I will need to know what happened for you needing my help." – I said, looking at her in the eyes. She merely nodded, like she already took the decision to do that. She wasn't someone to take a step without taking on account every possible outcome, so if she was ready, I only had to listen to her.

\- "When I practiced my spells thirty-three years ago, one of them was a spell of dimensional travel. But then, I took a misstep on the spell, and it was my spirit that travelled. I was reborn as a little human girl, a mere baby with a sister and loving parents." – She started, her eyes lost in memories. I had lots of questions; as well as forbidding her to do spells that complicated alone, but stayed silent, as she wasn't going to stop right now, and I didn't want to interrupt her.

\- "I made friends with Severus Snape, a good boy in my neighbourhood that was being abused by the scum of his father. He told me about my magic; as I could at least do some minor spells like Feather Fall. That told me that the magic in that world was hidden, and soon as I was eleven, I was going to a school of wizards and witches to learn to do all type of spells with a wand." – She said, laughing a bit at the part of going to school again, as well as spat the part of the father of that boy.

\- "Severus knew my true self, as well as hided it when my spirit tried to accommodate my body, giving me the ears for example. The firsts years went well, but I avoided like the plague a boy called James Potter, as he was being conceited and a jerk back then. But then, the war started to present itself in our doors, and in my fifth year, I lost the friendship of Severus as he made a mistake that he repented the rest of his life. As a parting gift, he made himself to forget my true self, to protect me." – She said, changing her smile to a one of sadness. It was changing the story to something more sinister, and I didn't like it.

\- "After that, I started to see some things in James Potter. He transformed from a jerk, to someone who protected everyone he could. As more I learned of him, more I started to feel things for him. Then, I knew that I fell in love with him, and I married him when we graduated." – She said, and my brain stopped there… my daughter, married and without my approval, but with deep true love as I could see in her eyes. It was being difficult, but I stayed silent, trying to focus on the story.

\- "The war started right there. Friends I made in school were killed daily, and the enemy leaded by someone called Voldemort seemed to win every battle. It was only a matter of time, and then, I got pregnant and went into hiding with my husband." – She continued, and I had to repeat her words in my mind two times to comprehend the meaning… I had a grandson, a precious child out there that I knew nothing until this moment.

\- "But even then, there was a prophecy, saying that a child born at the end of the seventh month, whose parents defied Voldemort three times, would be the only one who could vanquish him. I was doubting it, as the divination in that plane was a joke most of the time, but Voldemort didn't doubt it and we stayed hidden for a year, while I tried to find a way to transport my family back here." – She said, tears starting to fall again from her eyes as despair filled her voice. I just couldn't imagine that she went into war, it was a wish that nobody of my family suffered that, but it was moot now...

\- "A friend who was protecting our location suffered a visit from someone of this plane, who made a Dominate Person on him, making him reveal our location to Voldemort. It took us by surprise, and James tried to give me and little Harry time to flee, but he was without his wand and fell seconds later. I tried to call on my magic to do my spells, but then, my magic was bounded. I couldn't perform even a trick, and Voldemort told me to step aside. I didn't, and he killed me… "- She said, as my blood run cold. She was dead, she felt the death in her skin; and she died along her family there. That Voldemort was going to feel the wrath of the entire kingdom if I could have it.

\- "My spirit returned here, but I failed. My family was dead, and even when I had you and my brother, it wasn't the same. But today, I received communication with Aran, and I saw Severus… He was so anguished and happy to see me. He thought that he was the fault of my death all these years. And said something that gave a happiness like you couldn't know." – She said, returning her smile, a true smile shining with infinite happiness that made every part of the room light. I gave her a confused look, as losing all her family was hard on anybody, but returning that happiness in a moment it was something which had to be important.

\- "He said that my little boy was going to Hogwarts… My son is alive. I couldn't believe it. But then, Aran started to tell me with Severus everything that happened…" - She continued, her smiling face slipping into one of rage that would make an army of orcs run for their life.

\- "My son lived with my sister back there, Petunia… But he was not loved. He was outright abused! Bruises, broken bones, starvation, worked to the bone! And that's not all, there is more! Having to fight the spectre of Voldemort possessing a teacher, bypassing a Cerberus, a Devil Snare, fighting a troll; all of that in his first year! And topping off that, in his second year he had to kill a basilisk and destroy a cursed diary of Voldemort which possessed a little girl!" – She yelled with rage, and my own wrath was rising as well. The children were sacred in most races, and only the foulest creatures went to abuse their own kin. And the dangers the little boy had to fight, while being abused in his own home was a sight that would put every man and woman in arms to kill Petunia and her family to make them pay.

\- "Where is the boy? He must be taken to safety." – I said, and the next thing my daughter was going to say died off, looking at me for a moment before relaxing and smiling a bit.

\- "He is at Noyvern Academy, learning and within the healing of a cleric of Pelor. No danger is going to come at him now, and even if I wanted to take him here, his friends are there too, who came with him in their own volition." – She said, her smile getting wider, her happiness for her son spilling into me.

\- "As Aran told me, his best friend is called Ron Weasley, a bit dork at a times, but with a great mind and the one who started the discoveries, and is accompanied by his twins brothers; being adept pranksters. The others who came with him were Hermione; another of his best friends whose intellect give her the title of the brightest witch of her age, and Neville, a loyal friend with confidence issues, but was the first one to step in to go with Harry." – She recounted with her fingers, like trying to get everyone right. I couldn't help but smile as the fact that, even abused, he could have true friends that would go with him to anywhere.

\- "Well, for the moment he is safe. We need to plan carefully, as we have someone from this plane trying to usurp our kingdom. The fact now is that your son would be an heir as time passed, and a danger to our enemies that expected our line to die." – I said, getting serious. This was treason of the highest degree if the culprit was one wanting to usurp my throne, but as it is, the leads were colder than ice to identify the culprit.

\- "Father, please. At least let me go to Tuney. I know that she treated my son like dirt, but I have to speak with her. She wasn't that despicable and even if we weren't in best terms, she wouldn't do any of that to a child." – Indilwen pleaded. I was tempted to say no, but at the evidence of tampering with spells, maybe it was something to look into. And if she was controlled, it wasn't her fault.

\- "You will in its due time. And you won't be alone. But right now, we must observe. Enough waves are stirring right now. But I will assure you that you will be with your son soon. And I want to meet my grandson too." – I said, serious but at the end I finished with a smile. A thought of having a grandson to pamper was something that I could even feel a bit giddy to do, and I would need to coordinate with Aran to make sure it was the right time to let the boy know about his family. My daughter smiled, and I could already feel a weight on my mind lift. Things were going back to happy times.

 _Aran Raltây POV_

I finally returned to Noyvern Academy, were the classes were finished and the students were retiring to their beds after a long day. I could see how Mr Weasley was joking with his friends, but they took a look at me, before returning to their conversation. It was clear that he already told his friends about the events of this afternoon, and they were trying to guess what was happening. I could see a bit of fear and sadness, possibly at the death of their headmaster. Luckily, he was not there when I contacted Indilwen, that would have been a shock for Mr Potter… and it pained me that I was sworn by secrecy to not say anything about it until they told me otherwise.

I retired to my chambers, and tried to approach my bed to try to rest, but before I unpacked, the doors of my chamber opened with a guard, clearly in a state of panic. – "A dragon is attacking the academy!" – He shouted, making me freeze. A dragon!? How the heck is happening every single bad thing today!?

\- "If a dragon was attacking, the guards of the city would have picked it up and we would have been called way sooner before the dragon approached this place, soldier. If this is your idea of a joke…" - I growled, while preparing my spells to confront that menace; or try to fry the guard for his idea of a joke.

\- "No sir! The dragon was disguised as a woman with red hair like some of the new students. She wanted to have her sons back, but the front guards told her that she couldn't do that, so she waved a wand and stuck them to the floor. Right now, she is approaching the bedrooms." – The guard said, and I remembered the woman who was trying to prevent her sons to accompany Mr. Potter. Surely she had guts trying to "break off" her sons, like if this place was a prison, but something that surprised me was the frontal assault and the similarity that the guard made.

I ran towards the dormitory, and I waited. Soon, I heard the scuffles of a fight, and I saw how one of the guards, a dwarf shouting something about killing the dragon, was flung back at a speed very quick, and I put the shields quickly enough to avoid a barrage of five spells in less than three seconds. Then, I understood why the similarity with a dragon, her face and presence was equal to an adult red dragon mum trying to protect her eggs. Before I could say anything, the door of the dormitory opened, showing three red heads.

\- "MUM!?" – They shouted, and the fight stopped then, most of the guards looking between the woman and the three kids, and surely they were thinking of dragon sons or something like that. I couldn't avoid laughing at their expenses.

\- "Guards, stand down. She isn't a danger. Miss Weasley, before you try to remove your sons from here, can I speak with you? I promise on my magic that no danger will befall to you or your sons, so mote it be." – I said, and a flash indicating that my magic accepted the oath was seen, making her relax a bit and lowered her wand.

\- "Mr Ralthây, my children are going to come home with me. And you should do the same toward Hermione and Harry, surely her family is missing her, and Harry could stay the summer at the Burrow." – Molly said, steel in her voice and still feeling the presence of a red dragon in place. Surely she didn't take the security of her children lightly, and by the tone she already adopted Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger.

\- "Miss Weasley, they chose to come here. I am not going to force them going back to their home, but before we continue let's take our conversation to a place more comfortable." – I said, starting to walk, and Miss Weasley followed but her eyes looking at me with suspicion. At least she was agreeing to listen to me, and I could start to see the differences in our magic. The wand-magic they used was way quicker than our spells adapted to the meta-magic, but their strength was reduced. I would need to check on the differences in spells too later, as I had to focus on dealing with someone who could be a descendant of a red dragon; and that was taking it easy.

We reached my study, and I sat in my chair after I offered a chair to her, that agreed graciously. – "Tell me why I shouldn't take my children off here." – She said, clearly to the point and without any type of subterfuge.

\- "Well, for one we offer the education all year round, but we usually give more holidays distributed in weeks more than months. And the subjects available to them is bigger than in Hogwarts, so they are advancing rather quickly than their peers that don't come here." – I said, looking at her in the eyes, and I could see how her rage was diminishing in thought of an actual education.

\- "And the payment for this school, and methods of maintaining communication with them?" – She said, sounding worried. Now I understood clearly what happened to made her like that. She was thinking that we were taking away her children… something I understood. I smiled kindly at her.

\- "There isn't any payment, as the money come from the crown itself. And you can continue using owls, they only would take a day more at most. And if you are willing to stablish near here, we have some vacant posts in some places, as we have to continue your type of magic with a wand, along other posts." – I said kindly, and I could see how she was already thinking the possibilities.

\- "Before I take the decision, I will need to speak with my husband and my children. But only to know, is there any post in the kitchens? I haven't any mastery to teach magic to children, but my household skills are good." – She said, smiling at me, and finally disappearing that presence of a dragon. I nodded at her, before getting up.

\- "Then, why don't you stay here tonight, and tomorrow we all speak? I am sure everyone have more questions, and I will gladly answer them." – I suggested, and she nodded. One guard; who was terrified of her, took her to the guest's chambers, and I went back to my chambers to sleep like the death… Today was a crazy day, and surely more days like this would be coming… Something that wanted me to shout that this was already beyond my salary.


End file.
